Selamat datang ke Borneo

Nestling just east of Singapore and Malaysia, south-west of the Philippines, a little north-west of the Indonesian archipelago (island of Java) and on the edge of Pacific Ocean surrounded by the South China, Java and Sulu Seas lies this year's destination. At over 743,000 sq. km, Borneo is the third-largest island in the world (fourth-largest if you count Australia) and the largest in Asia. 

Bisected by the equator, the island is politically divided into three countries; the northern region comprises Malaysian Borneo (about 1/4, states of Sabah and Sarawak) with the Sultanate of Brunei smack in the middle and the southern region is Indonesian Borneo (about 3/4, province of Kalimantan). Our destination: Sabah, a relatively small chunk of this island but teeming with wildlife. Its highest point and also the highest mountain in south-east Asia is Mount Kinabalu (@ 4,095m / 13,435 ft. almost 4 times the height of Snowdon), Malaysia's 1st UNESCO World Heritage Site and designated a Centre of Plant Diversity; a point I will come back to later in the trip.

It sounds like a cliché, but Borneo (like many other places we have visited) is one of the incredibly biologically diverse places on the planet. Sadly, however, it is also one of the most critically endangered. If managed to maintain a renewable resource rather than the resource depletion that is currently happening, its ancient forests could provide valuable natural capital indefinitely http://www.sustainabilitystore.com/sustainable/. These vast areas along with the mountain habitats house an astonishingly impressive array of life ranging from mega fauna, such as the famous 'Wild Man of Borneo' orangutan, to bizarre bugs, such as a 57cm-long stick insect. It also has about 15,000 species of flowering plant (by comparison all of North America from the Arctic to Panama only has about 20,000 apparently). Diametrically opposite to the Amazon Rain forest, the Borneo Rain forest is estimated to be around 140 million years old, one of the oldest in the world. 

The problem is that Borneo's forests are being destroyed and twice as fast as the rest of the world's rain forests; the two greatest threats to Borneo's biodiversity comes from logging and the ever-expanding palm oil plantations. Palm oil is in almost everything (sometimes, I am led to believe, under a pseudonym such as vegetable oil, palmate, sodium lauryl sulphate, vegetable fat and stearic acid): take a look next time you shop!

But why should we protect it? Aside from mitigating the effects of climate change and protecting the livelihoods of locals etc., there are two good reasons. Firstly, since the Heart of Borneo Declaration was signed in 2007 by Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei (protects 220000 sq. km of forest) over 600 new species have been discovered including the aforementioned stick insect, the world’s longest. Secondly, the number of species is something like 220 mammal (including a dozen primates), 420 birds, 166 snakes, 100 amphibians, 3000 arthropod and 1000 ant, so the diversity of life is astounding. This diversity includes Orangutan, Proboscis Monkey, Bornean Gibbon, Long-tailed and Short-tailed Macaques, three kinds of Leaf Monkey, Western Tarsier, Slow Loris, Pygmy Elephant (subspecies of Asian Elephant), Sumatran Rhino (elusive, critically endangered and possibly already extinct in Borneo), Bearded Pig, Wild Boar, Mouse Deer, Civet Cats, Clouded Leopard, Flat-headed Cat, Sun Bears (world's smallest bear), 8 kinds of Hornbill, Kingfishers, Hawks, Buffyfish Owls and White Swiftlets (bird's-nest sup is made from dried Swiftlet spit; a kg of White Swiftlet spit can bring in over US$4K! I wouldn't mind spitting for that sort of money!). 

But before we even get to the wildlife, there's also the cultural diversity. Kota Kinabalu, known as KK to the locals, was the hot and humid start to our trip. A city is a city is a city and KK was no exception. After a quick nap (we had been up for over 24 hours at this point), we had a wander round town to absorb the atmosphere and settle in. We visited the local fish market where you could either purchase fish to take home or sit in the restaurant and have a meal. Surrounding the market hall were tanks and tanks of live fish and shellfish such as prawns, huge horseshoe crabs, ordinary crabs, lobsters, fish etc. to pick your own.

We walked to the Atkinson Clock Tower, constructed 1903-1905 and named after the first District Officer of the town, F.G. Atkinson, who died aged 28 from Borneo Fever (Malaria). The 15.7m high wooden tower was one of only two structures to survive the allied bombing of Jesselton (what KK was formerly known as) in 1945. Signal Hill Observatory Tower, up on Signal Hill behind the clock tower, is a great vantage point to see the town. Unfortunately we could not stop until sunset although I imagine that it would have been fantastic from that vantage point.

Our next port of call was back at the hotel for a trip welcome meeting and to do introductions with the rest of the group. Good old Blighty is flying the frontrunner flag with 8 Brits (us 2 + Mark & Lisa, Amanda & Kat, Natasha, Julie), 4 Americans (Matt & Amy, Erin & Mary), 2 Aussies (Alex & Corinne) and 1 Fin (Heli), plus our local guide from one of the tribes of Sabah. The ladies (including the guide) outnumbered the men 3:1. We had dinner together at a restaurant along the Waterfront, quite plush and modern compared to some of the more rundown places we’d seen while wandering round the city. I had a beef noodle soup (with ginger and veg) whilst Andy had butter chicken.

Sabah is Malaysia’s most diverse state with a population of 3 million made up of 30 races and many spoken dialects. Each of these different ethnic communities still maintain their own distinct cultures and have lived harmoniously side by side for generations. Malays and Chinese add to this huge melting pot of culinary traditions, languages and civilizations that have been mixing for thousands of years. Modern day Borneo indigenous people are working to integrate traditional lifestyles of mutual responsibility and sustainability with the opportunities and demands of modern life

We visited the Tambatuon Homestay, a riverside village along the edge of the jungle and river where our money directly supported the village. We first had an early lunch composed of traditional foods – beef curry, rice, long bean, spinach and wild veg. Dessert was honey pineapple, a very sweet variety of pineapple that only grows in that area.

Then the afternoon first comprised of a 2-hour jungle trek where we saw Jackfruit (a type of round spiky fruit), some medicinal herbs and rubber trees (they capture and sell the sap to make extra income; rubber sap is currently very expensive at 17 MYR per kg (that’s about £3.50 in English money just to put it into perspective)), plus a viewpoint over the village to get an orientation on where we were. On the last leg of the walk, the heavens opened and we got a free jungle shower. In Borneo it is perpetually wet, either sweating from the humidity or drenched by the jungle showers. Given that we were already wet, a few of us decided to have a dip in the river. This, however, was short-lived as the rain turned into a thunderstorm. With thunder literally banging above our heads and sheet lightening illuminating the sky, we decided the best bet was to use the homestay rainwater shower and stay undercover.

Then it was a cooking demonstration to make “busou”, a concoction of banana stem and fig with a type of yeast that is matured for a week and then cooked up with ginger stem, root ginger, garlic, onions, spring onions and chilli. The dessert dish was a mashed pumpkin cake that was wrapped in banana leaves and steamed. By this point the sun had returned and we were baking ourselves, never mind the food! The humidity had dropped though so it was more pleasant.

As the village is on both sides of the river, they harvest fish from the river. The fish do get fed and you can stand in the water with fish food to find lots of wild fish are swimming around and over your feet; a very bizarre but rather nice sensation.

Dinner was more traditional food. Fried chicken pieces, battered fish pieces, chicken cooked in a curry sauce, eggplant, wild veg, Pak choi, busou and rice. Having already eaten the pumpkin cake earlier, dessert was a couple of fruit options.

Breakfast this morning was fries, noodles, eggs, baked beans, and honey pineapple. Then a long drive over to a river lodge in Bilit on the Sungai Kinabatangan, at 560km, Sabah’s longest river. Along the way we saw areas that had been cleared for the palm oil plantations and there were lots of palm oil plantations where the jungle used to be. Palm Oil is one of Malaysia’s main exports so the question is how can they continue to bring in revenue without destroying the forest? One option but not the only one, is the tourist dollar, but tourism itself will need to be sustainable so that it doesn’t cause more rainforest to be destroyed or create worse problems.

The next instalment will be the wildlife adventure of the trip.

Poland 2016

We decided to take a short trip before the summer came to an end exploring some of the historical ‘highlights’ of Poland. A week in this lovely country merely gave us a taster of what it had to offer and we had only enough time to visit Warsaw, Wroclaw and Krakow, but we would like to visit again sometime and would heartily recommend anyone thinking of doing so to do it.

What was different about this trip was that we travelled between the cities by train but otherwise it was a similar small group responsible travel/adventure tour as is the norm. Unusually also all the participants (there were 17 of us) were from the UK; a very good group who all got on really well.

The trip started in Warsaw, the capital of Poland. Dinner on the first night was at the ‘Red Hog Inn’ which was named after the type of people who used to frequent the inn (‘Red’ Communist Leaders). It has also hosted some well-known people including Bruce Willis. It has traditional Polish cuisine with a backdrop painting of the ‘Communist Last Supper’.

Day 2 started with a tour of the Old Town (which had to be largely rebuilt after WII) with an extremely informative and passionate local guide. Morning coffee was in the market square, rebuilt in traditional style, with a statue of the Mermaid of Warsaw in the centre. The tour of the Old Town was followed by a visit to Lazienka Park and Palace (the latter also known as the Palace on the Water; the building began as a bathhouse, was converted it into private quarters and then during World War II, the Germans drilled holes into the walls for explosives but never got around to blowing up the palace so afterwards it served as a barracks). In the park there was a free concert with a pianist playing a Chopin recital. It was nice to sit for a while and enjoy both the weather and atmosphere. Finally we were left to explore on our own. We discovered the large and beautiful roof garden of the University of Warsaw Library; an upper garden (2,000 m2) interconnected with paths, bridges, and pergolas and connected to the lower garden (15,000 m2) by a stream and a water-cascade. This offered a nice way to see the sunset with views over Warsaw. Dinner provided the opportunity to sample Bigos (a Polish hunter’s stew so called because hunters used to come back from a hunt and would put the meat they brought back in the stew) served in a bread bowl.

Day 3 was an Intercity Express Premium Service train ride to Wroclaw with an afternoon walking tour of the Old Town (which again had to have large parts rebuilt following the war). The capital of Lower Silesia (Dolny Slask) has a huge Old Town built on several islands connected by over 100 bridges. Dumplings were on the menu for dinner that evening; made of unleavened dough and shaped into a semi-circle with or without a filling which was potato and cheese with bacon bits in mine.

Day 4 was a free day to explore the city on our own. This included a visit to the Raclawice Panorama (a 360’ panoramic painting depicting the Battle of Raclawice, seen by the Polish as their last successful battle for independence), a traditional bar mleczny (milk bar, in the communist era, the government subsidized the food at milk bars. Today this is still a cheap local cafeteria), sampling a Lody (ice cream), Cathedral Island and St. John's Cathedral, The Centennial Hall (Hala Stulecia, constructed when the city was part of the German Empire), Japanese Garden and the Pergola with its Multimedia Fountain.

The following day we travelled to Krakow on a ‘regular’ train which took around 3 hours but was a pleasant journey. The afternoon we had an interesting tour of the Old Town learning about the history; most of the town survived WWII intact as it was used as a German headquarters and this included its medieval market square.

The morning of Day 6 started with a visit to the Cathedral and Royal Castle on Wawel Hill; this is a fortified architectural complex erected over many centuries atop a limestone outcrop and as both the residence of the kings of Poland for many centuries (the cathedral is where they were both crowned and buried) it is considered to be the most historically and culturally important site in Poland. The afternoon was a trip to the Wieliczka Salt Mines; it is preserved in pristine condition and is on the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites. A section of the mine, some 22 chambers connected by galleries, from 64m to 135m below ground, is open to the public by guided tour, although the mine itself. There are salt-hewn formations that include the Chapel of St Kinga measuring 54m by 18m, and 12m high. Everything in it from reliefs in the rock walls to chandeliers to altarpieces is carved from salt. Back in Krakow we visited the Underground Museum that came into being following an archaeological study on the Main Market Square 2005 to 2010. The exhibition shows Krakow’s history and the connections between the city and mediaeval Europe’s chief centres of trade and culture. It is possible to see old cobbled streets, remnants of market stalls and their cellars, some skeletons and other objects from daily life in Krakow a few centuries ago. The latter (seeing the excavated remains) was the more interesting part of the museum.

On our last full day, we visited the emotive and haunting Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum where chilling and horrendous atrocities were committed by the Nazis while it was a Concentration and Extermination Camp during World War II. KL Auschwitz was the largest of a network of German Nazi concentration and extermination camps that were built and operated by the Third Reich in Polish areas annexed by Nazi Germany. Over 1.1 million men, women and children lost their lives here. Birkenau was the largest of over 40 camps and sub-camps that made up the Auschwitz complex and plans were discovered that would have made it several times larger. I would recommend a visit to anyone as it is a real eye opener to the events that took place; expect to learn something but don’t expect to enjoy it. We finished our trip with a Jewish-style meal in the old Jewish Quarter of Krakow.

Pura Vida on the Caribbean Coast, Costa Rica

Tortuguero on the Caribbean Coast is only accessible by air or boat. So after an early start and long drive we caught a taxi-boat up the Rio Suerte to Torteguero. While the ride is technically a taxi service, the trip through banana plantations and wild jungle served as a wildlife spotting trip too. The crew stopped the boat on a few occasions when they spotted fauna.

Our accommodation was a small place, with a series of fairly unobtrusive ‘huts’ between Lagunas Del Tortuguero and the airstrip, adjacent to the Caribbean Sea. The other side of the airstrip from the accommodation is a volcanic black soft sandy beach which more often than not we had entirely to ourselves.

Tortuguero (means place of turtles) is a national park of 26653 ha land area and 50284 ha of marine sanctuary and has been part of the RAMSAR ‘Northeast Caribbean Wetland’ since 1996. It is one of the main global turtle nesting locations. In theory turtle nesting season is March to October with the Leatherback nesting March to May (peak April) and the Green Turtle nesting June to October (peak July-August) with the first hatchlings emerging in May. In theory then we’d picked a good time to see both nesting turtles and hatchlings. However, in reality, turtle nesting season coincides with the rainy season (it is cooler for the turtles) and the rains were two months late so unfortunately there were no night guided beach walks to watch turtle nesting or no sunset beach walks to watch baby hatchlings  However, we did visit the Sea Turtle Conservancy, a long-term organisation with a research station and visitor centre who monitor the turtles and provide education programmes. More about this centre is available on their website: www.conserveturtles.org.

A wildlife spotting boat ride provided good sightings of lots of different types of birds, mammals and reptiles including caiman, river turtles, egrets, herons and terns. In total the National Park has 442 bird, 118 reptile and 138 mammal species. Green Macaws, Paca, Crocodiles, Baird’s Tapir, Spider Monkeys, Manatees, Jaguars, Green Turtles and Snook (fish) are classed as ‘umbrella’ species i.e. they have large ranges and/or are dependent on a complex array of food resource; by protecting these and their habitats it will also protect other species and habitats incorporated within this.

The journey to Cahuita (pronounced Ca-Wheat-a) was via the Canales de Tortuguero (Tortuguero Canal). Created in 1974, this connected a series of lagoons and rivers to create a waterway to coastal villages. It was just over three hours but the journey through the jungle canals offered the opportunity for more wildlife spotting – caimans, crocodiles, bats, various birds and monkeys.

Cahuita is a laid back Caribbean village (it reminded us of the village where the TV series ‘Death in Paradise’ is located) with a small (10sq km) national park that was created in 1978. Jaguar (pronounced Jag-wahr) Centro de Rescate is a wildlife rescue centre named in honour of its first resident. There are no jaguars here at the moment but there are other wild cats; margay (like a very leopard type cat) and ocelot. Other current residents include snakes, baby sloths, baby howler monkeys, a capuchin monkey, pelicans, agouti, Spectacled owls, striped owls, parrots, white tailed deer and a Montezuma Oropendola (type of bird). See www.jaguarrescue.com for more info about their work.

Punta Cahuita is one of the last living coral reefs in Costa Rica and part of Parque Nacional Cahuita. Unfortunately it has incurred damage as a result of earthquakes and tourism related activities so snorkelling is with a licensed guide only. As it is low season, we were the only boat on the reef; if the rains had started we wouldn’t have been able to snorkel due to swell and lack of visibility. In addition to lots of varieties of fish, we saw a shark, 2 stingrays, a puffer fish and spiny rock lobster.

To finish the day we had a guided hike in the National Park where we once again saw lots of wildlife including sloths, woodpecker, vulture and monkeys.

Having managed to swim in the Pacific Ocean in Manuel Antonio, we got to swim in the Caribbean Sea in Cahuita; we did go for a paddle in Tortuguero but the bull sharks make swimming dangerous!

Before leaving Cahuita, we took a tour of an organic chocolate factory that processes cacao in the traditional way. This meant having to have a taster of chocolate at the end too. Such a hardship! Website at www.cacaotrails.com

For a final day in Costa Rica, we visited the Jade Museum which not only exhibits one of the most important pre-Columbian jade collections in America; it also shows Pre-Columbian life, activities (such as hunting fishing and agriculture) and rituals (such as funerals and shamanic ceremonies).

So another trip almost over; it’s gone far too fast as always.

Until the next time, Pura Vida!

Kath & Andy

Pura Vida! From Costa Rica

Pura Vida! Means literally ‘Pure Life’, but can also be used as a greeting, expression of approval or acknowledgement.

Food - The staple diet is rice and beans; you can have it for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Even if you don’t order rice and beans, they often appear as part of the meal. The breakfast version is known as gallo pinto (pronounced gar-yo pin-to) meaning ‘spotted rooster’ – when the rice is mixed with the beans it takes on a speckled appearance. There are variations on the theme such as Arroz (con) Camarones (rice with shrimps). Rice and beans are key ingredients in a casado (inexpensive standard set meal) that in addition usually consists of meat, salad and plantains (related to banana, very versatile). Meat can be chicken, beef, pork, seafood or fish. Other foods include soups (e.g. sopa de mariscos), and pasta/pizzas/hamburgers. You can guess what I won’t be eating when I get home!

Now, back to the adventure…

La Fortuna in the northern lowlands was a small fertile agricultural settlement before the eruption of Volcan Arenal (Arenal Volcano, pronounced Arran-El). Hordes of tourists came to see the lava flows so some of the local farms developed into tourist accommodation/hot springs etc. After killing 87 people in 1968 and a second eruption that created the second (now active) peak it has been increasingly less active and just puffs smoke as it were.

We had a (private for just us two as it turned out) guided trek in Parque Nacional Volcan Arenal with a local guide, Julio, to the base of the volcano. Although it was not billed as a wildlife tour, we still managed to see some wildlife including an Eyelash Pit Viper (venomous snake), White-nosed Coati (small mammal) and Common Potoo (nocturnal bird related to Nightjars and Frogmouths). The latter is usually difficult to find as it is so well camouflaged that it looks like the end of a branch!

Julio also told us about the history of the volcano and its recent eruptions. It was dormant for 500 years until 1968 and overgrown with forest at the time of the eruption that no one living in the area realised that it was a volcano. Pyroclastic flow (large rocks, ash, gas etc.) flew out of the volcano at speeds of 120km hour and created xxx craters. Later eruptions created a build-up of pyroclastic flows which in turn created another cone. So Volcan Arenal now has a dormant (the original) and an active (the newly formed) cone. Three local villages were destroyed in 1968; the remains of two of them are now submerged beneath Laguna de Arenal (Lake Arenal) which is used to create hydroelectric power. Julio went on to explain that 100% of Costa Rica’s energy is from renewable sources – 45% is from Laguna de Arenal, 40% from other hydroelectric sources, 10% from geothermal and the remaining 5% from solar and wind.

Thanks to the volcano and lava still bubbling underground heat countless springs. It was to one of these hot springs that we visited; there were several different sized pools of differing temperatures, the hottest also having a wet bar. Same as any other bar but the water came above the height of the bar stools and felt like bath water! Three of the pools also had incredibly fast slides. It included a buffet-style meal in the restaurant after wards.

Cano Negro on the Rio Frio was recommended as a good wildlife spotting boat trip. We were not disappointed: Green Iguanas, Spectacled Caiman, Howler Monkeys (including the rare auburn form), Emerald Basilisk (Jesus Christ Lizard) walking on water, Black River Turtle, numerous species of Herons, Egrets and Kingfishers, Anhinga (Piano Bird), Northern Jacana and Swallows to mention a few.

At this point, our group split; 2/3rds of the group were returning to San Jose, with the majority then going onto Panama. The remaining four of us got a new guide and two new people to head to the Caribbean Coast.

Kath & Andy 

Hola! from Costa Rica

Hola everyone! It’s that time of year again… 

I have received a lot of blank looks this time about where Costa Rica is situated within world geography. So let me start with a short introduction to the country before getting into the actual trip update.

Costa Rica is located in the southern part of Central America, the narrow isthmus that joins North and South America. To the north is Nicaragua; to the south Panama (if you’ve heard of the Panama Canal, this is just north of that). The east coast collides with the Caribbean Sea whereas the west coast encounters the Pacific Ocean.

Even at around 635 miles long, 135 miles across and just 51,000sq km this small country has a lot to offer; dozens of habitats are squeezed into this tiny area: from rainforest and cloud forest to tropical dry forest, mangroves to mountains and volcanos, Costa Rica is packed with biodiversity. It has 615 species per 10,000 sq. km, the world’s largest number, greater than Rwanda’s wildlife rich 596 and the USAs poor 104. Due to its location, species from different continents have been comingling here for millennia. However, numerous species are declining or in danger of extinction due to habitat destruction, hunting and harvesting of eggs.

In 2009, the then President set a goal that Costa Rica would become carbon neutral by 2021, the first in the world. For its overall environmental performance, Costa Rica was ranked in the top five nations in a 2012 study produced by Yale and Columbia Universities. Costa Rica so we were informed, now uses 100% renewable energy – 85% hydroelectric, 10% geothermal and 5% solar/wind.

Costa Rica is also a neutral country with no standing army; it was abolished in 1949. At the same time the country was desegregated and women and blacks were given the right to vote. With no money to spend on military, the money is ploughed back into the country and today 50% of Costa Rica is protected. ‘Protected’ is a bit ambiguous as there is still corruption and if someone offers enough money, the protected areas can be unprotected; deforestation is a continuing problem as a result. Large areas are also swallowed up by Palm plantations.

Another of Costa Rica’s main danger comes from tourists and maintaining the delicate balance of bringing in tourist dollars to help maintain and protect more without the numbers of tourists being so great that it destroys the very thing they’ve come to see! The ethos of the company we’ve chosen to travel with is to tread lightly on the country with as much of an ethical and sustainable trip as is possible; such as using a variety of (local) transport, hiring local guides and staying in small locally/family owned accommodation (with sustainability credentials hopefully such as recycling, energy saving, use of natural light in rooms as a minimum).

San Jose was quiet; we’d picked a Sunday and a public holiday to visit. All the museums, central market and other public buildings were closed. We did get to wander around the town which was fairly easy to navigate, watch a parade, enjoy some of the plazas (squares), see Parroquia Nuestra Senora de la Soledad (ornate church) and visit the Artisan market which was open. Then in the evening we met our group: 5 other Brits, 2 Canadians, 1 Aussie and 1 Swiss. Introductions and trip preparation over, we went out for dinner together. Our first hotel was exceptionally good on sustainability by also using rainwater for flushing toilets and a solar system for heating water as well as those other things mentioned above.

Manuel Antonio National Park on the central Pacific coast is a dry tropical forest (still a rainforest but with slightly less rain, around 3.9m annually – yes that’s metres) consisting of both primary and secondary forest, mangroves and marine resources. Created in 1972 it is the country’s smallest national park even after it was enlarged to 1983 land hectares in 2000 and also comprises a 55,100 hectare marine area protecting islets of nesting seabirds. On a guided trek we saw lots of wildlife including White-faced Capuchin monkeys, Mantled Howler Monkeys, endangered Squirrel Monkeys (known locally as Mono Titi), Two-toed Sloths, Three-toed Sloths, Raccoons, Agoutis (like giant guinea pigs), lizards, birds, butterflies and a fleeting glimpse of an Ocelot (type of medium sized wild cat, bearing a resemblance to a leopard).

On another tour to seek out Scarlet Macaws (reduced pockets of distribution due to trapping, poaching, habitat destruction and increased use of pesticides), we saw more Squirrel Monkeys, Toucans, Crested Caracaras, Sloths and other birds as well as several Scarlet Macaws on the trip.

The weather was 34’c and an energy zapping 80% humidity, with torrential rainstorms including a spectacular thunder and lightning storm.

Santa Elena and Reserva Biologica Bosque Nuboso Monteverde in north-western Costa Rica are areas of virginal tropical cloud forest. These are very rich ecosystems; reputedly having 20% of the world plant diversity and 16% of the world vertebrate diversity. Established in 1972, the 4000 hectare Monteverde Cloud Forest apparently has 100 species of mammals, 400 species of birds, 120 species of amphibians and reptiles and 3000 species of plants including 878 species of epiphytes (live on trees but do not harm them; merely using them as a means to get nutrients from the floating mist through exposed roots) of which there are over 500 species of orchids. The climate was cooler (28’C / 65% humidity despite the cloud/mist so still warm by British standards) as we were at an elevation of 860-1840m above sea level at the pinnacle of Costa Rica’s continental divide where warm trade winds from the Caribbean in the east meet those from the Pacific in the West cooling and condensing into clouds. The most famous resident is the Resplendent Quetzal, a bird considered divine by pre-Columbian cultures of Central America and sought after for its long iridescent-green tail feathers which adorned their royal headdresses, and rare to spot even today. But on our guided tour, spot a few we did; males in nests, their long tail feathers sticking out and one in the cloud. Also their ‘cousin’, an Orange-bellied Trogon along with hummingbirds, Costa Rican Robins and Wrens, Toucans, Toucanets and the young of the interestingly named Tawny-throated Leaftosser.

A lot of life in the cloud forest is at canopy level – some 30-60m up – difficult to see from ground level. Several companies offer canopy tours which is a series of zip lines through the trees with the lines getting increasingly longer, faster and higher up through the canopy with the final lines coming out above canopy level and the last two offering you the opportunity to fly like Superman over the canopy; a great way to see above the trees.

Another way to see the reserve is on a night walk where all sorts of creatures can be seen including frogs, sleeping birds, snakes, armadillos, honey bears (aka kinkajou, a small arboreal mammal related to the raccoon but looks more like a cross between a cat and a monkey), spiders, moths, beetles, fireflies, glow worms etc.

Our final encounter with Monteverde was a 3km Treetops walk on a trail linked by 8 bridges which went through and over the canopy. It demonstrated quite nicely why the Cloud Forest gets its name as we spent the entire walk engulfed in cloud and fog!!! However, it proved to be incredibly atmospheric, also bringing to mind images of the film Jurassic Park at times!

So from there we continued onto the northern lowlands that will be continued in the next instalment.

Adios,

Kath & Andy

Sri Lanka 2015 Final Instalment

We’ve seen some interesting stuff in the last few days, predominantly wildlife orientated. I’ve just picked out the main highlights for this email but we’ve packed a lot in again.

The first of these was the Elephant Transit Home (ETH). This was established for the rehabilitation of orphaned wild baby elephants. Natural and anthropogenic pressures leave dozens of elephant calves orphaned and/or injured every year, but at the ETH these young survivors are given a secure place to develop physically and socially. The calves are fed every three hours and receive medical attention. Since it was created, the ETH has rescued, rehabilitated and re-introduced into the wild more than 90 elephants. It currently has over 30 elephants.

Then it was glamping in Yala National Park – at least it was posh camping compared to last year’s safari. The semi-permanent campsite was next to a lake with lots of birdlife including wild peacocks. We enjoyed an evening barbeque and campfire next to the lake then woke the next morning to a champagne breakfast.

We had a couple of nights stop in Unawatuna. From there it was a stone’s throw to UNESCO World Heritage Site Galle Fort. In 1505 a Portuguese fleet was blown off course and took shelter here. Apparently Galle was either named after the Sinhala word gala meaning rock or Portuguese word galo meaning cockerel as that’s what they heard crowing while sheltering here. In 1640 the Dutch took Galle and then in 1796 it passed into British hands. The Boxing Day tsunami hit this area quite badly but the fort withstood it with the solid walls limiting the damage as opposed to the new quarter which was badly hit. According to our guide, a couple of hundred buses were swept out to sea and 10,000 people lost their lives.
During our time in Unawatuna, we were subjected to tropical storms and torrential downpours which we later learnt were due to a cyclone out in the Bay of Bengal. Our first evening, at least, was nice and we strolled along the Fort walls just before sunset to see the historic buildings before settling down to watch a spectacular sunset. Our evening meal was in one of the many restaurants that are in the renovated Old Dutch Hospital.

After all the strenuous exercise – trekking, climbing steps, cycling, and swimming - I treated myself to a 1hr+ Ayurveda body massage. The legs were still sore from the trek up Adam’s Peak and the massage was bliss.

Yesterday we enjoyed a boat cruise along the Madu River before visiting the Kosgoda Sea Turtle Sanctuary & Research Centre. Five of the seven species of sea turtle lay their eggs along the coast of Sri Lanka (Green, Leatherback, Loggerhead, Hawksbill and Olive Ridley). Unfortunately human egg-poachers take the eggs to satisfy the demand for turtle omelettes and therefore they never hatch. Those that do hatch run the gauntlet of birds, fish and other predators as they make the perilous journey to the beach. The research centre pays more than the black market value for the eggs and incubates them in a hatchery. They are then kept in a tank for 3 days where they are then released into the wild under the cover of darkness. There are pros and cons for this type of conservation. In other parts of Sri Lanka, the beaches are patrolled and the eggs protected in the sand. The centre claims that the survival rate is increased from 1% to 25% by their intervention. It is also a hospital for injured turtles and a sanctuary for any disabled ones. We did see 1, 2 and 3-day old turtles as well as some of the injured and disabled ones.

On the way back to Negombo we had a city tour of Colombo, Sri Lanka’s Commercial & Administrative Capital.

After a final farewell dinner (a final Sri Lankan rice and curry, something we’ve eaten a lot of over the last two weeks), our group have started going our separate ways. We are enjoying a last (relaxing) day in Negombo before we too make tracks for home….

So, until the next time we go wandering off round the globe……

Farewell from Sri Lanka,

Kath

Sri Lanka 2015 Part 2

So it’s the second instalment of the Sri Lankan adventure and we’ve packed more in. It feels even more like a real workout, but we’re enjoying plenty of good food and on the whole the weather has been good.

Dambulla Cave Temples are five royal rock (cave) temples hewn into a 160m granite outcrop with numerous statues and images of the Buddha (reputedly around 150). It is one of several UNESCO World Heritage sites in this country that we are visiting on this trip and was the first stop of Day 6.

A visit to a spice garden in Matale included a talk/demonstration about different spices (Vanilla, Cardamon, Nutmeg, Cloves, Turmeric, Spice Tea, Chocolate/cocoa bean, Green/Red pepper corns, Ginger and Cinnamon) and where they come from as well as what some of them can be used for in traditional indigenous Ayurvedic medicine. The demonstration included a surprise but rather enjoyable shoulder massage.

Kandy was home to Sri Lanka’s last independent kingdom. It survived two centuries of colonial incursions until it fell to the British. The stay included a visit to the golden-roofed Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, Sri Lanka’s most important Buddhist relic – a tooth of the Buddha supposedly snatched from the flames of Buddha’s funeral pyre and smuggled into Sri Lanka in the hair of a Princess. During puja (prayers/offerings), the heavily guarded room housing the tooth is open for devotees and tourists but you don’t actually see the tooth as it’s kept in a gold casket. It is rumoured that this is only a replica and the real tooth is hidden somewhere secure. During the reign of the Kings it was a symbol of sovereignty and whoever had custody of the tooth had the right to rule the land.

Whilst in Kandy, we also visited a Batik, Tea Factory, Gem Museum & Lapidary and Wood carving centre as well as taking a walk through a market & bazaar. In the evening we were entertained by a cultural show (10 dances plus fire walking).

At an elevation of 2243m, the mountain in the UNESCO World Heritage Central Highlands area variously known as Adam’s Peak (place where Adam & Eve first set foot on earth after being cast out of the garden of Eden), Sri Pada (sacred footprint of the Buddha – there is a Buddha temple right on the summit), Samanalakande (translates to ‘Butterfly Mountain’; where butterflies go to die) and/or the footprint of Hindu god Shiva has been focus for pilgrimage for over 1000 years. In all it’s about 5200 hard, uneven steps to reach the summit which then have to be retraced back. In theory the sunrise is spectacular and on a clear day Colombo is easily visible 65km away. As dawn illuminates the mountain, the sun casts a perfect shadow of the peak onto the misty clouds down towards the coast. As the sun rises higher the eerie triangular shadow shrinks back towards the mountain and eventually disappears into its base. At least, that’s the theory. The reality for us was a cloud shrouded peak with no hint of sunshine and regular tropical torrential downpours. Still, we’d managed to follow in the steps of the pilgrims and climb the fourth highest mountain in Sri Lanka, which is twice the height of the highest mountain in Britain.

We had an overnight stop in Nuwara Eliya (translates to ‘City of Light’), a small town nicknamed Little England and the Hill Country’s ‘Tea Capital’. It was ‘discovered’ by the British colonial officer John Davey. It feels very British even having the coldest weather of the trip so far - English summer temperatures and rain!

Horton Plains is 2000m high undulating plateau covered by wild grassland (patina) which gives way to montane forest further up the slopes. It used to be inhabited by a herd of Pygmy
Elephants (a subspecies of the Asian Elephant) but they were hunted to extinction by the
colonial hunters. One such hunter was Major Thomas Rogers, a colonial officer who supposedly killed over 1400 elephants. He was struck down by a bolt of lightning, a fate considered by some as a sign of the anger of the gods. His tombstone has also been struck twice by lightning.
We trekked to ‘World’s End’ so called because the plateau comes to sudden end and plunges 870m into the valley below. From the lookout on this stunning escarpment you can see just about see all the way to the sea. We had torrential rain before we started the walk, but
fortunately it had stopped by the time we started walking and brightened up into a hot sunny morning. Later the guide told us that we’d been incredibly lucky; normally the weather is wet and usually the view from World’s End is one of cloud and mist. After missing out on Adam’s Peak, we were pleased to see this.

Then we took a scenic train ride from Ambewela to Ella with a prime standing room only spot by the window and a cool breeze whilst watching the scenery go by…

There’s more to come, so keep posted for the final instalment.

Still wandering,

Kath

Sri Lanka 2015 Part 1

The ‘teardrop’ in the Indian Ocean, the ‘Pearl in the Necklace of India’, Sri Lanka is only 30km from India and a few hundred km north of the Equator. At 435km long and 244km wide, this 66sq km island is one of the planet’s biodiversity hotspots as well as being an island full of culture and history.

Negombo was an interesting little town, our first encounter with Sri Lanka. We wandered around the various markets and street stalls before finding ourselves on the locals beach behind their houses where sadly plastic bags and plastic bottles are strew everywhere, a far cry from the section of beach by our hotel which was virtually immaculate. The following day, which was the first day proper of our tour, we saw the ‘touristy’ stuff. Once a Portuguese and Dutch trading port, the attractions include the Old Dutch Fort, the Dutch Canal, churches and the fish market. Negombo’s lagoon as well as sea trawler fishing boats supplies the market with fresh fish which are auctioned off there. Our group comprises a GP, PA and Electrician from London, a nurse from Bath, 2 travel agents from Australia (Sydney and Gladstone) and an Insurance Broker from Toronto. Brits 6, Aus. 2, Can 1!

The main afternoon attraction of the day was a 5 hour game drive in Willpattu National Park. Sri Lanka’s largest national park yielded quite a selection of animals including Kingfishers, Serpent Eagles, Hornbills, Asian Elephant, egrets, grey monkeys, crocodiles, ducks, cormorant, peacocks, black-headed ibis, chameleons, monitor lizards, plovers, stilts, white-spotted deer, jackals and rabbits, but no sign of any leopards disappointingly. This was in lieu of the later trip due to be taken to Yala National Park on the itinerary – weather conditions mean that the park is closed.

Anuradhapura is a 4^th century BC monastic complex of both archaeological and architectural ‘wonders’ that is still used for religious purposes. It was the first ancient capital of Sri Lanka and is also home to the ‘Sri Maha Bodhi’, a sapling taken from the tree under which Buddha had his enlightenment. There are a lot of dagobas (shrines) including the ‘Jetavanarama Dagoba’. It was originally believed to have been 120m high and thought to have been the third highest monument in world when it was built (beaten by the two Egyptian pyramids). Now with damage / natural disasters it is partly destroyed and only 70m of it remains.

Polonnaruwa was a thriving commercial and religious centre 800 years ago. This archaeological site of tombs, temples, statues and stupas was Sri Lanka’s second ancient capital. It has the Galpota (Stone Book). This is believed to be the world’s largest stone representation of a book. The stone inscription (longest in Sri Lanka) extols the virtues of the then King, Nissanka Malla. The slab, weighing 25 tonnes, was dragged from Mihintale 100km away (so it says on the inscription anyway). For both Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa we hired bikes to cycle round the sites.

Sigiriya (Lion Rock) is a rocky outcrop that rises 200m above the plains below. Originally on the flat topped summit there was a monastery. This was usurped by a King and developed into a pleasure palace-cum-fortress. A later king then returned this to the monks. This archaeological site can only be visited by climbing 1,300 steps to reach the summit. Part-way up the rock there is an open air spiral stairway from the main path leading to a long sheltered gallery in the rock face. There is a series of painting or frescos of women believed to be of celestial nymphs or concubines of King Kassapa (who built the fortress). Half way up was a large platform on which a pair of Lion’s paws was encountered. It is believed that this is part of the original entrance which included an entire Lion’s Head. Visitors had to pass through the mouth to gain access. It is from this that the rock derived its name. Sigiriya Gardens are amongst the oldest surviving historic gardens in Asia. At the foot of the rock are the terrace gardens and the two great stairways leading to the main entrance. Below the terraced gardens and merging with them are the boulder gardens. Stretching out from them are the three distinct units of the water garden.

So far the visit has also included two visits to local villages for lunches. Today’s visit also included demonstrations on turning rice paddy into rice; grounding millet into flour and how to make a coconut sambol (shredded coconut mixed with a curry/salt/pepper mix) from scratch from getting the husk off the coconut to the finished product.

That’s the main activities though we have seen a lot more other things. The next few days are likely to be more action packed so look out for the next instalment.

Ayubowen,

Kath

Jambo from Africa

Have just spent the last couple of weeks in East Africa (Kenya/Tanzania) on safari. Amazing wildlife viewing including lions,  cheetahs, Vervet Monkeys, Olive Baboons, zillions of Wildebeest & Zebras, numerous species of gazelles, antelopes etc, elephants, 3 species is giraffe, black rhino, white rhino, hippos, warthogs,  hyenas, jackals & loads of different types of birds, too numerous to mention here. The highlight of the trip was most definitely the sunrise Hot Air Balloon ride over & subsequent game drive in the Masai Mara. When the balloon landed we were surrounded by wildebeest & zebras as far as the eye could see. We've been blessed with the number of lions we have seen (at close quarters) including a pride of 18 lions in the Serengeti & lions eating a kill in the Ngorongoro Crater, both with very sweet looking cubs (with not so sweet looking teeth). We travelled with a fabulous group: 7 Aussie's (3 WA, 2 QLD, 1 VIC), 4 Brits from UK, 1 Guyanan who now lives in London, 1 Brit from Iceland with her  Icelandic husband & a Kiwi.  The Kiwi & 1 Aussie were on their honeymoon & 2 of us had Birthdays on the trip (for those that don't know mine was a milestone one - 21 again!!! ;-)). The cook made some brilliant meals on camp esp given limited facilities & often dark (daylight 6-6). Weather has been similar to that we were experiencing in the UK before we left. It's beautiful today but gather there's a heatwave in UK on our return. Kwaheri from Kenya. Globetrotters K&A!

USA Part 2: The North-West Corner of the Pacific North-West

Stan and Kay live on Gooseberry Point overlooking Lummi Bay just north of the city of Bellingham. To the south/left of their view over Lummi Bay is Lummi Island, one of the many San Juan Islands.

With a population of some 80,000 people, Bellingham is a busy seaport with both working and pleasure boats in abundance. It is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Whatcom County in the State of Washington. Situated about 1.75hours north of Seattle and 1hour south of Vancouver it has good access to major metropolitan areas but also the large expanse of the San Juan Islands, an archipelago between the northwest corner of the US mainland and Vancouver Island.

Arriving in Bellingham just before midday, our first afternoon involved lunch at the Boundary Bay Brewery (and a sample of their beer!), a tour round the city and then dinner in the evening with some of the extended family out on the deck.

Saturday started with a tour of the area north of the house up to the Canadian border, visiting other bays and stopping at one or two little fishing places. After a late lunch and a leisurely afternoon soaking up the sun on the deck, we headed to a curious sculpture park nestled in a grove of evergreens above Lake Whatcom; Big Rock Garden Park has 37 permanent works by international and local artists (some good, some weird). The day was finished off enjoying wine and cheese on their boat, a 36ft Grand Banks Yacht, as the sun set over the harbour.

Sunday's itinerary was a drive down the cliff side byway that hugs the base of Chuckanut Mountain and weaves its way through evergreen forests along the rocky shoreline of Chuckanut Bay to the oyster beds and tidal flats of the Samish lowlands. Our first main stop was La Conner, situated on the delta near the mouth of the Skagit River. It was founded in the early 1860's and is Skagit County's oldest community. Deception Pass is a strait separating Whidbey Island from Fidalgo Island that is spanned by twin bridges (the bridges have been a National Historic Monument since 1982) and the viewpoints offer the dramatic seascape of Puget Sound. Its nearest town is Oak Harbor, now supporting a large naval base. Our final destination of the day was Coupeville, the second oldest town in the State of Washington, where we enjoyed a fantastic seafood dinner including freshly harvested mussels that are farmed in the town.

"Behind" Bellingham is the impressive Mount Baker, still snow topped, about 31 miles due East. It has the second-most thermally active crater in the Cascade Range after Mount Saint Helens and is the second-most heavily glaciated after Mount Rainier. At 10,000 ft., it is the third-highest mountain in Washington State and also one of the snowiest places in the world apparently. This is where we headed the following day to follow one of the trails. The weather was great and we had good views of the peak.

Since Kay and Stan have access to the beach from their garden, Tuesday allowed us the opportunity to take a walk along the beach and a paddle in the sea. We also got introduced to Stan's cinema room in the evening!

After promising a ride in the boat, we finally got out into Bellingham Bay on Wed. Initially hugging the coastline along Chuckanut Bay, Stan then took the boat through to and around the nearest San Juan Islands of Vendovi, Eliza and Lummi. The water was rough as we left harbour and the wind had got up rather a lot. By the time we were returning the wind had dropped, the sun was out and the bay was like a mill pond. The boat is called "Slow Dancer", its max speed is only 10 knots, but that's still faster than my non-existent yacht! ;-)

Thursday, our final day with Kay and Stan, we popped across the border into Canada. In Vancouver we met up with two other people off last year's Peru trip – Gord and Linda. We had lunch together on Granville Island followed by a trip round Stanley Park. Including our visit to Dublin in July where we met up with two lads off our Peru trip, we have now successfully met up with 60% of the group!

So, Friday we returned to Seattle for the final leg of our trip. And that's where I will pick up on the final email.

Until then,

Kath & Andy

---------------------------------------------------------
"Don't ask what the world needs - ask what makes you come alive and then go & do that.

Because what the world needs is people who have come alive" Howard Martin
---------------------------------------------------------

Unleash the passion, indulge the dream
www.passion4travel.co.uk

---------------------------------------------------------
If you have received this email in error, no longer wish to receive these emails, or would prefer to read the blog, please email me. I will not be offended. Absence of such emails presupposes that you still wish me to send them.

I will never pass your details onto unrelated third-parties.

To stop my emails being seen as spam, please add me to your email account's address book.

If I've missed anyone who would like to read this, feel free to forward it on.